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21 clubs now on board with Positive Coaching programme

The Positive Coaching Scotland (PCS) programme now has over 20 accredited rugby clubs on its books, since its inception in August 2011.

Melrose in the country’s south east, Dundee Wasps further north and Irvine in the west are the latest clubs to join the programme that is supported by the Bill McLaren Foundation, sportscotland and the Winning Scotland Foundation.

The border club are the first RBS Premiership side to achieve the prestigious youth coaching award and the 19th in the country. This makes Irvine the 20th and Dundee Wasps the 21st to join the programme.

David Peace, Melrose PCS programme leader, said: “Achieving the Positive Coaching Scotland accreditation is important to Melrose Rugby Club. It reflects our approach to coaching and legitimises our firm belief that concentrating on coaching skills over a 'win-at-all- costs' mentality is the right way to bring out the best in players.

We see the accreditation as another reason for players, coaches, volunteers, supporters and anyone else of any age and ability to join us to both enjoy their rugby and add to a great club atmosphere.”

“As part of the process of achieving accreditation we have reviewed how we operate our junior section (P1 - S4) and how we can communicate better with and involve our parents more.

“We believe that we now have a stronger base from which to build and a structure and pathway that new coaches and players will find easy to understand and be happy to embrace. We’re looking forward to continuing to keep Melrose at the forefront of Scottish rugby.”

Cameron Crawford, Irvine PCS Programme Leader, said: “The Positive Coaching Scotland programme in association with the Bill McLaren Foundation has given us the opportunity to look at our whole club ethos. Having celebrated 50 years of rugby in Irvine last year we wanted to examine what we were doing well and what improvements could be made.

“The process involving discussion and debate with parents, coaches, players, club officials and supporters has been as beneficial as the successful outputs we have so far achieved.

Supported by the Bill McLaren Foundation the PCS Programme certainly echoes many of the rugby values and life skills characterised by the late Bill McLaren - ‘The voice of rugby’. His voice can still be heard across the world of rugby through Positive Coaching Scotland and the Foundation established in his memory.

“This is just the start of a focused development programme for Irvine Rugby Club we shall go on improving to be the best that we can be.”

Dundee Wasps’, Drummond Cox, said: ““Through PCS we can continue to ensure our club is a community club with a great buzz about it. We endeavour to ensure that our players, members and supporters bring the best of rugby to the game and as they progress through life they take that ethos with them.”

The Positive Coaching Scotland programme in association with The Bill McLaren Foundation operates as a partnership between sportscotland, the Winning Scotland Foundation, the Bill McLaren Foundation and Scottish Rugby and has the main aims to build and sustain a strong and positive rugby culture in order to develop young rugby players and young people through the sport.

This programme forms part of sportscotland’s national roll-out of the Positive Coaching Scotland programme through governing bodies and local authorities.